Water toy



March 29, 192.2. w, HUBBELL 1,851,768

WATER TOY Filed July '7, 1950 INVENTOR Clarence H4 HuLB ATTORNEYPatented Mar. 29, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLARENCE W. HUBBELL,OF NAUGATUCK, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR. TO REVERE RUBBER COMPANY, OFPROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF RHODE ISLAND WATER TOYApplication filed July 7, 1930. Serial No. 466,069.

My present invention relates to water toys and more particularly to animproved stabilized water toy.

Water toys are at the present time made to similate practically allforms of animal life, such as ducks, swans, horses, camels and the like,and one of the serious objections thereto, and which limits the usethereof to a great degree is the inability of such toys to remain in anupright or-natural position when in the water. Where the toy is of anyconsiderable size as where the toy similates a horse or camel, theperson using the same must be extremely agile in order to maintain I thesame in an upright position during the use thereof. Up to my presentinvention, no means has been devised for enabling such water toys toremain in upright position or be stabilized.

In my present invention, I have obviated the difliculties heretoforeexperienced, and

have devised a form of stabilizing elements for inflatable water toys,and by means of which it is possible to float the toy in an upright ornatural position on the water, and

in which the stabilized elements may be utilized as foot rests in thelarger size toys. My invention is particularly applicable for use inconnection with water toys or animals re- 31? sembling aquatic animalssuch as a duck or swan and the like, and in which it is desirable tohave float in enclosed ponds, either natural or artificial.

In carrying out my invention, I associate with the body of the toy andon each side of the lower part thereof, inflatable pontoons or bilgekeels, such pontoons or bilge keels being formed integral with the bodyor sepa rate therefrom, as may be desired. Preferably, the inflatablepontoons or bilge keels are connected to the interior of the body of theanimal so that inflating the animal causes a simultaneous inflation ofthe pontoons or bilge keels. This is the preferable construction, but Imay substitute therefor a pontoon or bilge keel having no connectionwhatever with the interior of the body of the animal and each pontoon orbilge keel therefore may be provided with means for permitting inflationthereof independently of the body and of each other.

The object of my invention, therefore, is an improved stabilizedinflatable water toy.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating preferred embodiments of myinvention;

Figure l is a perspective view of a swan toy to whichmyimprovedinvention has been applied;

Figure 2 is a sectional end elevation-on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the body portion of the animalillustrated in Fig. 1, showing one of the pontoonsior bilge keels inperspective sectional elevation;

- Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a land animal such as a camel to whichmy invention has been applied, and I Fig. 5 is a similar view, but theanimal to which the invention has been applied is a horse.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, 10 designates the body portion of aninflatable toy built to represent a swan or other aquatic animal, therear portion of the body 10 being provided with a valve 11 which may beconnected to any suitable source of air or gas supply and by means ofwhich the body 10 of the animal may be inflated, as is usual. It is tobe understood, of course, that the entire animal is made ofresilientmaterial such as rubber.

Referring to Fig. 2, it will be noted that oneither side of the body ofthe animal adjacent to the lower portion thereof are attached pontoonsorbilge keels 12. These pontoons or bilge keels 12 when inflated, being,of proper size when the size of the body 10 is taken into considerationto maintain the body 10'floating in an upright position, that is withthe neck 13 and head 14 of the animal extending upwardly and in thenormal position of such an animal. As the pontoons or bilge keels 12 areattached to the body 10 in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, it will be noted that theinterior of such pontoons communicates with the interior of the body 10by a plurality of perforations 15, so that when air or other gaseousfluid is pumped into the body 10 through the valve 11, the interior ofthe pontoons or bilge keels 12 will be simultaneously inflated and I thepressure Within the pontoons or bil keels is the same as the pressurewithin ti: body 10. I may, however, provide each of the pontoons orbilge keels 12 with its own Valve similar to the "alve 11, but as thepreferred form isshown in thedrawings, I have not illustrated'thealternative methodof applying air or other fluid to the pontoons 12.

In Fig. 4 is illustrated aninfiatable toy 16tosi1nila'te a camel Whichhas attachedto the body thereof on each side, and adjacent the bottom,pontoons or bilge keels 17 similar to the pontoons or bilge keels 12 inFigs. 1, 2 and 3.

In Fig. 5 is illustrated an inflatable horse 18providedwvith'pontoons 19arranged'as in" the case of the camel shown in Fig.4. It is":

customaryto make figures-of camels orhorses relativelylarge and-it ispossible to actually ride sucha'nimal's in the Water. Not only Will suchanimals remain in an'upr-ight position inthe WZ LtQF' because ofthepresenceof the ontoons orbilgekeels17 and 19, for exam ple, but aperson riding the same may utilize such pontoonsor bilgekeels' forsupports for their feet. Obviously, an. inflatable: water toy may bebuilt to similate any animal; and my invention maybe applied thereto:It'isbelieved,-;however that the drawingsaccomp anying the presentapplication are suflieient for a thorough understanding oftlieinventionlHaving thus described my'invention, What' L claim and :desire to.protect by Letters Patent-is:

1. In a stabilized Water toy, the combina tionwvith an'inflatablehollowbody,,ofinflatable pontoons of" smallerdisplacementethan the body arranged'on eithen side of and below themiddle of the body and extendingrlaterally downward at'an angl'e, andmeans permitting'the body and pontoons' to be inflated simultaneously-a'nd to the same degree:

2. In an improved inflatable water toy, thecombination Withaninflatable: body, of. a' stabilizingipontoon attaehed'thereto oneither side thereof adjacent the submergedportion thereof, and extendingalong the inaj orportion-of the. length-of the body, and passagesextending from the bodyto the pontoons' whereby the body andmultaneously; inflated.

Signed at: Naugatuck, county of New- Ha'vem State of Connecticuhithisfirst day pontoons may be sieofi July, 1930. 1

CLARENCE W; HUBBELIL.

